Train Companies Heap on the Misery With 2.8 Per Cent Fare Rise and £5,000 Season Ticket Hell

Today's the day that travelling by train gets a little more expensive, as the rail franchises treat themselves to their usual annual pay rise at our expense. Across the country, an average 2.8 per cent increase kicks in today, with some commuters now paying over £5,000 for the privilege of sweating on a train twice a day.

It is, however, the smallest train price increase in four years, thanks to a promise to keep rises within the Retail Price Index inflation rate. But today's hike still adds over £100 to the price of commuting from Basingstoke to London. [BBC]